USC, LSG to confer on Magna Carta referendum

Out of 7 140, 94 percent or 6 712 voted yes while only 5. 27 percent or 376 students said no.

by Victoria Uy

The University Student Council (USC) and Law Student Government (LSG) will still deliberate the next course of action on the Magna Carta referendum after the vote counting on January 25, said Secretariat Committee Councilor Viko Fumar.

Out of 7 140, 94 percent or 6 712 voted yes while only 5. 27 percent or 376 students said no. Meanwhile, 35 ballots were cast without votes, 17 were unsigned, and 108 were lost.

As per USC, lost ballots are those administered to voters according to the signatures in the voters’ list, but were not in the ballot boxes. Excess ballot votes which are not registered are subtracted from the yes votes to make the vote counting conservative.

Fumar also mentioned the magna carta must gain approval from a university-wide student referendum to reflect the support of the student body. He said that support from students must be evident through a high number of voters before the referendum can be presented to the University Council.

The USC will still determine the reliable number of voters that can represent the whole UP Diliman student population with the help of School of Statistics Student Council.

For academic year 2015-2016, the Office of the University Registrar website estimates 18, 625 undergraduate students in UP Diliman.

The UP Diliman Students’ Magna Carta aims to codify the rights and privileges of every UPD student, binding and enforceable among the different stakeholders of UP.

A legal team that consisted of students from the College of Law and a Drafting Commission composed of representatives across local student councils, sectors, and the general student body were especially created for the Magna Carta.